Sidetracked
by Pikes Pendragon
Summary: These are side stories for my main fanfiction "The Rebel: Grima's Child" written by either myself or other wonderful writers that wanted to help me out. Said stories focus on small parts that I couldn't originally write in TR:GC because it's in 1st person P.o.V. and the main character isn't exactly involved in these. (Plus I had trouble getting into each character's mindsets...)
1. Lon'qu and Cherche

_**Beginning Commentary:**_ I want to thank the wonderful DragonofAnnoth for offering to write this short story for me! As I stated in my main fanfic, I wanted to write about other events that the main character wasn't involved in; however, said fanfic was in first person and I couldn't really get into the mindset of the other characters aside from the main one. So, when I asked for help, DragonofAnnoth was more than willing to help out!

* * *

The city of Chon'sin was crowded at best, and this hot day was no exception. Though the blazing sphere in the sky did nothing to signal its relent, the streets and markets were filled to the brim with people from all nationalities, happy to be able to trade as freely as they had before the Conqueror and his taxmen arrived. Thus, no one paid any mind to the pair of Shepherds weaving their way through the bustling streets towards the palace. Well, no more mind than anyone would pay a red-haired Roseanne woman dragging a distinctly uncomfortable Chon'sin swordsman. They were an unusual sight.

Cherche almost sighed as Lon'qu attempted once more to twist his hand out of her grasp. She tightened her grip enough to strangle any further thoughts of escape. It had been a miracle Lon'qu had agreed to leave the camp at all; it had taken her an hour to convince him there was a new monument on the castle grounds that was fantastic enough to warrant a special trip to see it. Ever since then had been a struggle to make him remember they were not going back to camp until they saw it.

'Fool man.' She thought to herself. 'If I had any other way to drag you along…'

A small rush of some unidentifiable feeling made her cheeks warm slightly.

'If I didn't think this necessary…'

Lon'qu renewed his attempts to gain freedom from her oppressive grip, and this time she DID sigh, and roll her eyes on top of that. A convenient open space cleared ahead of them, and Cherche yanked hard on the arm she had locked in her grip, sending the owner stumbling in front of her. Marching forward, she took his arm in a firm grip that brooked no nonsense. He stiffened on contact, but she gave him no time to consider and began guiding him through the crowd again. His only response was a grunt and to dig his heels in the ground in a way that was remarkably reminiscent of a stubborn mule. Cherche struggled to maintain a semblance of good humor. It was a long way to the palace.

* * *

The palace grounds had been divided into two sections. The inner section was reserved for the palace staff and the Royal Family, but the outer portion was open to any who could take the time. Despite this, it seemed the park-like area was deserted. Tall cherry trees scattered themselves around the grounds, overshadowing the winding pathways. Seeing the moment of peace as an opportunity, Lon'qu wormed his arm away from the death grip that had encased it. Taking a couple of quick steps away, he began to flex and rotate his arm as if she had cut off his circulation.

"Was it really necessary for you to guide me like that?" He growled under his breath.

He was glaring at her out of the corner of his eye now.

"I have neither heard nor seen evidence of this monument as of yet. Are you sure it's here?"

"Now why would I bring you out here if I didn't think you needed to see something?" She asked sweetly.

He simply grunted and turned to indicate she lead the way. The moment she had her face out of sight, she grimaced.

'I may have lied about the monument,' she thought, 'But I definitely think you need to see this.'

After she regained control of her facial muscles, she checked behind her to make sure Lon'qu was still following. He was, but he was directing a glare at the picturesque surroundings as though he had a personal vendetta against cherry blossoms. Or like he expected to see a ghost.

'The more I see, the more I doubt that it could be the one they spoke of, but I can't ignore his name….'

Cherche suddenly realized Lon'qu's gaze was meeting hers now, and returned her eyes to the path with a slight blush.

Without warning, the path opened up to a large clearing, and the pair of them stopped. At the far edge of the clearing, a small group of swordsmen practiced. No more than half a dozen students circled the master, clearly marked so by his impressive looking armor, if not his greying hair. The students seemed to be finishing some drill, their practice blades flickering in a half-dance. As they halted and stepped away, Cherche caught a glimpse of an old woman resting by the trees, her shoulder-length hair as silver as the blademaster's was grey. Cherche began to lead the way into the clearing, but stopped when she heard a strange choking noise behind her.

Lon'qu's face was overwrought almost beyond recognition, and his body was as an overstrained bowstring; one touch and either him or his support, whatever that may be, would snap. His eyes were unfocused and glazed. Hesitantly, Cherche waved a hand of his face, and jumped when his gaze snapped onto her. His words came out in a harsh whisper.

"Why… the hell… did you bring me here?!"

Then he was gone, tearing down the path as though hellhounds were snapping at his heels. A single moment of shock put Cherche behind him, and by the time she reached the streets, he was gone.

* * *

Lon'qu staggered to a halt beside the river. The woman that had been following him was long gone, but he still felt her eyes, and those of Ke'ri's parents. Shuddering breaths ran through him, but they left before giving him the air he needed. Frustration tore through his mind, followed by irritation, shame, and several others he had yet to identify before cycling back and repeating. Grinding his teeth, he slammed his fist into a nearby tree.

Then, he stopped.

There was a shape carved into the tree, hidden under his fist. He removed the obstructing hand to find a small heart graven in the bark, a pair of letters inside, written in as delicate a hand as a person could have, cutting into a tree. His breath, that he now realized he was holding, slowly began to shudder back into a speedy tempo. Looking around the little clearing, he found another damaged tree, this one hacked into with some type of weapon. Nearby, almost hidden by moss, a rusty, dilapidated axe lay in the dirt.

At the far end of the clearing, a small, simple gravestone sat. Lon'qu's stare didn't leave that gravestone for a long time. Even after his knees gave out, he stared, never looking away or blinking, despite the tears that obscured his vision before falling to the grass below.

* * *

Cherche gazed into the horizon, listening to the sound of training weapon strike target. The sound was monotonous, never erring from the precise, curt, clacking that hadn't halted since supper had finished. The sun was setting now, and she could hear no signs of slowing, much less stopping.

Lon'qu…

She thought back to the elderly couple. The name is the same, but they described a much friendlier boy. Not this silent, dour man that never seems to stop for rest. She listened for a few seconds more before turning to the wyvern resting its head beside her, looking at her with silent, wide, eyes. Cherche smiled a little and rubbed Minerva's crest.

"Don't worry about me, Minervykins. I just wonder about him…"

She turned back to where the sounds of training continued. She took a deep breath, preparing herself for the encounter, hoping it would go better than the last. Firming her resolve, she turned around and walked into camp. Only a few turns later, and she arrived at the training grounds. They were empty of equipment and people, except for a single man in the corner of the grounds. His practice sword flickered out, hitting the target with almost impossible accuracy despite the sweat rolling down his face. He was so focused he did not notice Cherche's arrival.

"Lon'qu?" She called hesitantly.

The sword stopped. His eyes flickered to take in who had intruded on his practice.

"You again." His tone was strained. "Begone!"

His sword resumed its pattern as if it had never halted. Cherche grimaced slightly, but was fixed on her intention.

"We have to talk. There's more to the story of Ke'ri and her parents-"

Lon'qu abruptly cut her off.

"I have no wish to hear it."

His already furrowed brow deepened, but he did not stop his practice. Cherche tried to start again, but he cut her off in a low voice.

"If you have any mercy in your heart, you will drop the matter and never pick it up."

His breathing was heavier now, and his forms were getting sloppy.

"You will want to hear this, Lon'qu." She spoke calmly, as a statement of fact.

A loud crack sounded as the wooden practice sword broke on the practice dummy. The head slowly toppled to the ground, the wood holding it splintered under the weight of the blow. When he spoke, each word was slow and deliberate, anger and fear bubbling just under the surface.

"I… think… not!"

Cherche almost stepped back at the ferocity, but decided the best way was to tell him everything at once, so he couldn't run away or interrupt.

"Her parents did not hate you, Lon'qu! They were grateful! It's true that when Ke'ri died, they blamed you for her death, but they didn't hear how desperately you had tried to save her!"

Lon'qu took a half-stride away, but Cherche began to advance.

"When they tried to find you in the slums to apologize, you had disappeared, and they both knew it was their fault!"

Lon'qu shook slightly, as if wanting to run, but seemed held in place by her words. She was almost behind him, now.

"Soon after Ke'ri died, they had found her diary. Reading it, they found that you had been her best friend ever since you two were little, and had become even more before her death."

Cherche was right behind him now, and she stopped. After a moment's hesitation, she reached out and rested a hand on his shoulder.

She spoke softly. "Your friendship made her happy, and that, in turn, gave them happiness. They don't hate you. Not anymore. They've always wished for a day where they could apologize to you."

A long moment passed as they stood unmoving. Cherche jumped slightly as she realized she still had her hand on his shoulder and removed it. He seemed to jump slightly as well. Rolling his shoulders, he took a few steps away as he collected himself. Glancing back over his shoulder, he looked Cherche directly in the eye.

"Thank you… for telling me this."

"It's my pleasure."

He turned to face forward again and walked away with heavy steps, but head held high. When he reached the tents on the side of the deserted training area, he stopped again and spoke without turning around.

"It… is good to be forgiven. But… I doubt… that this wound will ever heal."

With that, he left for his tent. Cherche stood, looking after him as the sun dipped under the horizon. With a heavy sigh, she turned and walked for her own tent.


	2. Lore: Mana

_**Beginning Commentary:**_ And now, a passage written by yours truly.

 **Lore: Mana**

 _Mana is that of energy: living beings are created from, infused with, and die after exhausting it._

 _Humans began wielding magical powers decades, perhaps even centuries after the Manaketes welcomed and accepted them onto the surface. It is similar to breathing fire, as they would instruct._

 _This breathing of fire, along with taming the very strike of lightning, harnessing the powers of the wind, and surviving off the coldest of winters, were spells under the category of anima. Normally, when Mages use anima magic, they use the element best suited to their personality. If they are calm and collected, they use Wind. If they are passionate, yet fierce, they use Fire. So on and so on._

 _Alongside anima, there is light and dark magic. As is in fairy tales of old, light magic heals the user along with others as dark magic revives the non-living. Light conquers darkness as darkness conquers anima. So then, why does anima conquer light? Would light not be required to see the creations that anima has produced? Alas, it is hard to tell._

 _It is also hard to tell as to why there are few traces of light and ice magic. Some believe that those practices perished when the Great Calamity occurred, wiping out nearly every Divine and Ice Dragon known to existence. Others believe that there exists a Magic Council that approves of which forms of mana are acceptable to use. There are those who believe light magic simply converted to basic healing, and then there are those who believe that ice magic will ruin the lives of future Dragons and wyverns everywhere. To each their own._

 _Harnessing the powers of mana, though, is dangerous. Mana is unstable even to this very day, and tends to become a parasite, feasting on the user's energy until there is no more, if not properly trained. Humans have combatted this by strengthening their mana links and training them immediately._

 _Mana links are what they sound like: connections between the human body and the source of mana it wields. Each body is given a mana link, but it is weak from birth. This is how humans can breathe, create fire, and react to when it is cold or struck by lightning. They can be awakened under any given circumstance, either tragic, life-threatening, or even down right hysterical like a sneeze._

 _For those who struggle to awaken and harness their mana, they result to artificial means: creating a new mana link. In order to do this, an experienced Mage must give the struggling beginner ink for which mana can reside in. This ink will be painted onto a certain body part and will stimulate the original mana link briefly. However, the magic used will be limited, as the mana is concentrated in that one body part and is not flowing through the whole body. This can also be quite dangerous, as the original mana link will malfunction. Malfunctions might include loss of breath, unnatural body temperatures, lack of energy (whether it be apathetic tiredness or no movement at all), or even death. Be careful with its use!_


	3. Sumia and Cordelia

**Sumia & Cordelia: The Falling of Friendships**

 _Many years ago, there were two little girls. One was a noble, the other was a Pegasus knight. The Pegasus knight was sent to guard the noble in times of war, despite how young she was. Yes, the knight was perfect in every way. She was beautiful, intelligent, strong, graceful, ladylike, and mastered each weapon given to her. The Pegasus knight was everything a girl desired to be. On the other hand, the noble was what one might call "average". Her looks were no different from other girl, she had the intelligence ladies were required to have without going over boundaries, and her strength seemed to be more emotionally based rather than physically like the Pegasus knight. To top things off, the noble was never graceful. She stumbled over her own feet more times than one could count._

 _Over time, the two grew to know each other more. The Pegasus knight told the noble valiant stories of her training with much older girls than her and allowed for rides on the back of her assigned Pegasus, cutely named Icarus by the noble. The noble, with her kindness, made the Pegasus knight feel like she could ease herself and make small jokes with._

 _Eventually, though, the war had ended, and the Pegasus knight had to return to her post. However, the noble decided to go with her new friend and join the Ylissean forces. The noble's parents were not cross with this decision, but they told their daughter to visit whenever possible. With a small heaviness carrying in her heart, the noble began her training._

 _Unfortunately, the noble's clumsiness had proven to be quite the handicap, as she could not even aim a bow properly. The other Pegasus knights had discouraged the noble, but her friend would always defend her, as the noble did for her. It truly did feel like it was the two of them against the world._

 _That is, until, they met a boy._

 _Yes, the prince of the kingdom seemed to be quite the appealing one, with maidens willing to do almost anything for him to marry them. The Pegasus knight had a very obvious crush on him, as she wrote beautiful ballads of his features. The noble, though, kept to herself about her admiration, hoping she would not hurt her best friend's feelings. She began to bottle up her emotions, passing the days with fake smiles. They were meant to show encouragement for others, to show that she would be their strength._

 _It all began to fall apart when the prince's older sister had sacrificed herself._

* * *

 _ **Sumia**_

Sumia wanted to continue smiling. This was a hard time for everyone, and she wanted to stay strong. She needed to be everyone's kindness, everyone's hopes and dreams. But her heart told her otherwise. She shook in place, feeling an almost dark energy consume her with every breath she took. She even had trouble discussing this to her closest of friends, saying that she was only going through a rough time and would recover eventually. Would she _really_? She might not have been as close to Lady Emmeryn as she would have liked, but she definitely knew the impact the Exalt had left on everyone around her.

 _Why should I be upset?_ Sumia would think to herself. _Everyone else has problems bigger than my own._

That was a lie. Sumia lost her commanding officer, Phila, and caused the capital of Ylisstol to fall into Plegian hands in one battle. She almost died in an attempt to rescue Lady Emmeryn from King Gangrel, and ultimately failed. And to make matters worse, her father had become very ill back at home. Life kept throwing obstacle after obstacle at the girl without giving her the opportunity to recover.

The Shepherds returned to Regna Ferox, fearful of their tactician-in-training Anne and upset at their failure. Sumia comforted as best as she could, but the people were blinded with their own self-pitying. But there was one person who needed comfort the most: Chrom.

She hesitated to open his door, but she needed to do this.

"Chrom? Are you in here?"

There the blue-haired prince sat on the edge of his bed, hanging his head low as he nearly leaned on the hilt of the Falchion blade.

It was truly a pathetic sight to behold, as the mighty prince of Ylisse, the descendant of the Hero King Marth himself, was in complete and utter dismay. He let his own sister die right in front of him. How could he be so foolish?

"If…this isn't a good time…" Sumia began, slowly closing the door behind her.

"No…no...I'm fine," Chrom insisted, his voice low and trembling.

Sumia hesitantly sat next to the prince on the bedside, soon wrapping her arms around his shoulders for a small hug. When she pulled away, Chrom immediately pulled her in for another, tears slowly falling down his face.

"I…failed her…" He whimpered. "I let her sacrifice herself, Sumia. I let all of my people down. All of them!"

"You didn't let me down…" Sumia assured. "Look at me, I almost died and here I am, talking to you."

Chrom nuzzled into Sumia's shoulder.

"You don't get it, though. I have to be strong. If I show any signs of weakness, the entire kingdom will crumble!"

Sumia froze up, curling her fingers and soon clawing Chrom's shirt. Her throat began to hurt, but she didn't allow a single tear to drop.

"I know how you feel…" She sighed.

The rest of their time spent together was quiet, only getting slightly louder if Chrom wanted to let out a cry of frustration or sadness. Sumia kept herself together for his sake, comforting him with each cry released.

Eventually, Chrom had settled down.

"Are you going to be okay now?" Sumia asked. "I can stay here longer if you still need me."

"No, I think I'm good," Chrom sighed. "Thank you, though."

Sumia smiled.

 _He's strong, but he can be weak, too. Just like me…_

* * *

She continued to visit him until they marched back into Plegia to finish the Mad King off. The Shepherds had succeeded in their war against Plegia. Everyone celebrated and honored their fallen Exalt with honor. When Sumia went to congratulate Chrom on the evening of December twenty-third, she noticed that he was like how he was back when they were in Regna Ferox.

"Chrom, what's wrong?" She pondered. "I know it's late and all, but-"

"Anne rejected me," Chrom laughed weakly.

"Anne?" That nearly pierced her heart.

"Yeah… I think I loved her. But I don't know anymore. I…"

Sumia immediately hugged him.

"It still stings, huh?" She giggled.

"It really does."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"I don't want to bother you."

"Chrom, you could never be a bother to me."

Chrom smiled a bit after hearing that.

"There's a strange air around her that makes me want to pity her and comfort her at the same time, you know? I mean, she's been abused for as long as she can remember, but she still manages to find ways to make her happy. And the way she yelled at me…made me feel like she really cared."

"She still does. We all do."

"I guess I got too caught up with the moment to realize that she doesn't feel the same way I do. I was so used to having plenty of girls fall in love with me, and to have her see me as only a friend… That difference alone made me grateful for her."

"There are other girls like that, too, you know…"

"I know, I know… I don't know… I felt a connection with her! Gods, I'm an idiot!"

"You're not!"

"Yes, I am! How am I supposed to rule over a nation if I get upset over a girl!?"

"Chrom, you're only nineteen! It's okay to feel heartbreak!"

"Not when you're the future king of Ylisse! Not when you're the descendant of Marth!"

" **CHROM!"**

There was silence for a moment. Chrom was shocked at Sumia's sudden raise of volume and the look of frustration on her face.

"Stop acting like you're the failure here! We both know that I am!"

Frustration turned into realization, which then turned into regret.

"I-I'm sorry, that came out of nowhere…"

"Failure? Sumia, is that what you really see yourself as?"

"No. I mean, yes. I mean-"

"Sumia."

"We're supposed to be talking about you. I don't matter."

" **SUMIA!"**

Sumia immediately began to cry. Not at the way she was yelled at, no. All of the emotions she bottled up, all of the tears she restrained herself from shedding in front of everyone, were slowly releasing themselves.

"Ever since I was little, I've been a failure. I couldn't live up to the standards Cordelia set, I couldn't charm boys the way she did. But Cordelia…she made me feel like I was an actual person still. All of the Shepherds did. You made me feel like I could do things right, that I wasn't a mistake. All those times you watched me train, even for short moments, I felt like I was a hero. So, I wanted to be everyone's hero, so I could thank them for their kindness. But I can't! I'm average, a klutz, a failure! My father's home ill and I can't cure him! All of my fellow Pegasus Knights are dead, including Phila! I let Emmeryn die, and I didn't even know her as well as you have! I let Gangrel take over Ylisstol because I wasn't strong enough! And worst of all, nobles aren't supposed to have problems! We're supposed to be prim and proper with money solving any issues we have! We're not allowed to show signs of distress, or we'll be made fun of!"

"I…didn't know you felt like that," Chrom stuttered. He wrapped his arms around Sumia's waist, allowing her to cry in his shirt.

"I'm not allowed to feel sad," Sumia repeated. "Everyone else has worse problems than I do…"

"Sumia, it's not a contest of who can cry more. And who told you you're not allowed to feel sad?"

"It's common knowledge. Villagers suffer the most out of anyone, so why should I add on to their problems?"

"Donnel's not feeling like that…"

"But plenty of others are!"

"You're carrying this to other directions, Sumia!"

"I know, I'm sorry! I…I've been keeping a lot of emotions hidden away."

"Sumia, if anything, you're the one who's allowed to cry." Chrom held her closer. "You've been enduring almost everything this entire time… You've probably worn yourself out by now. I don't care what it's about, but you're always allowed to cry. Whoever tells you otherwise is trying to belittle you so that they can feel better, even if unintentional."

And so she did cry, Chrom there to comfort her when she needed it most. But she knew it couldn't last. Cordelia had her heart set out for him, and who was she to get in the way of her best friend…?

* * *

She tried her best to get him to focus on her after that, offering him pies to distract him from her. She told him all the stories that Cordelia told her, and ones that occurred when she was still in training. But Chrom wasn't an idiot.

"Sumia, I think I realized something," he brought up one day.

"What's that?" Sumia responded.

"That I'm still in love…but not with Anne."

 _Did it work?_ Sumia thought.

"All this time, I've been looking for a woman who wants to see me succeed, because I know she can as well. We would be able to bring out the positives of one another, while helping out with the negatives. A woman that can show her strength, whether it be through kindness or actual physical strength."

"That's good," Sumia smiled.

"It should be, because I think it's you I'm in love with."

 _OH NO!_

"Chrom, you're…you're not supposed to fall in love with me! I was trying to get you to be with Cordelia!"

"I know that, and she's beyond blessed to have a friend such as you! But hear me out on this, okay!?"

Sumia hesitated at first, but soon nodded, allowing Chrom to explain his feelings to her.

"I remember when you first joined the Pegasus Knights that you always cried a lot, saying that you couldn't do anything right. I wanted to comfort you, but I didn't know any better at the time and told myself that others would make you feel better. All of the time, you would smile when I felt down or upset, or even angry. And you'd always support me with reason. I mean, not every decision I make is going to be right, so when you can disagree with me, it makes me feel like you care for me much more than I originally realized. But you need to care about yourself just as much as you do for others."

Chrom folded his hands into Sumia's.

"I love you, flaws and all."

"Chrom…"

"It's okay if you don't return my feelings-"

"No, it's just that…I feel bad for Cordelia. She's my best friend. I can't do this to her!"

Chrom frowned.

"Did she make you feel like you're not worthy?"

"Wha-Of course not! She had such an obvious crush on you for years now!"

"Sumia, be honest with me."

"I am!"

"Really?"

"I…I…There was one time when we were in training, and she grew depressed. No matter what I did or said, she would put me down, saying that her problems were more important than mine."

"I knew it…"

"But she's still my close friend and that was only one time!"

Chrom gave her a suspicious look.

"O…kay, maybe it happened a few times."

The look strengthened.

"I'm the only one she can rely on to talk about her problems. She's supposed to be perfect, so she can't blurt out her problems to just anyone!"

"Sounds like she's not being that good of a friend if she dumps all of her problems on you…"

"It's more personal than you think…"

"I know, but tossing your problems away when you went through a lot?"

Sumia fell silent.

"I'm not saying you should abandon her, Gods forbid that! I'm only saying you should think about yourself once in a while. After all, you can't save everyone if you can't save yourself…"

Someone had finally said it. That was what she needed to hear to get her out of her personal hell.

Sumia smiled, but with much more sincerity. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she wrapped her arms around Chrom's neck.

"I love you…" She cried. "I have for such a long time now…"

"I love you, too," Chrom smiled.

He stroked her hair oh so gently and then looked at the light brown haired girl. She looked at him, and they seemed to get lost in their eyes. The two of them pressed their lips against each other's.

"Will you marry me?" Chrom asked, wrapping his arms around her waist once again.

"Yes!"

* * *

 _ **Cordelia**_

"OF ALL THE WOMEN HE COULD'VE CHOSE, HE CHOSE HER INSTEAD OF ME?!" Cordelia cried out to herself, running as far away as she could. "WHAT DOES SHE HAVE THAT I DON'T?!"

"Cordelia, wait!" Stahl yelled, chasing after her as well as he could.

"GO AWAY!"

She soon ran into the royal Ylissean garden, sitting herself on the available bench and crying into her hands. Stahl eventually caught up, kneeling in front of her.

"Cordelia…" Stahl began.

"Why did he choose her, Stahl? Why not me?" Cordelia sniffled.

"Well, there could be plenty of reasons, really. He might not have seen you the way you might have wanted, or thought you wouldn't share a lot in common!"

"But I'm supposed to be perfect! Everyone in the Pegasus Knights said so themselves."

"I think they set their expectations way too high, then."

"Excuse me?!"

"No, what I mean is that they put you on too high of a pedestal."

"I…don't follow."

Stahl sighed, "It's okay to be imperfect, Cordelia. You can't control everything."

"You wouldn't understand!"

"Not if you don't tell me."

Cordelia hesitated.

"Please?"

Now it was Cordelia's turn to sigh.

"I'm skillful in almost everything: horse and Pegasus riding, combat, music, cooking, cleaning, you name it. I've been called beautiful by hundreds, men and women alike. But…I never felt like these sorts of things meant anything until I met Chrom. He made me feel important, that my skills could be useful for his cause. And I thought that…I was the only Pegasus knight-no, the only girl he could rely on aside from his family. But I was wrong, he doesn't see me the way others do. I'm imperfect to him, so what good am I?"

"Cordelia…" Stahl began. "I know this might not mean much to you, but you can still use these skills for others. Maybe not for Chrom directly, but I'm sure plenty of people would be more than grateful to be with you. Heck, I bet there are little girls all throughout Ylisse idolizing you as we speak! But here's the thing, flaws are what make us human."

"Really?"

"Yeah! By your definition of perfect, it seems really impossible to accomplish, so you shouldn't strain yourself to reach that high of a level. You can still be extremely talented and stunning and smart and nice smelling, but you don't have to force yourself into that. And you can also accept that you're allowed to have flaws. You can either have a bad hair day, be extremely emotional when life's got you down in the slums, or anything, really!"

"You…really think so?"

"I know so! Look at me, for instance. I'm a foodaholic with seemingly untamable hair and too nice of a personality!"

"What about Sumia, or Anne?"

Stahl's smile dropped at the mention of Anne's name.

"You know, they have flaws, too. Anne's problem being…something I wouldn't want to get involved with, but maybe that's why Chrom likes them so much."

"He likes flaws?"

"More like he knows they're only human, or half-human in Anne's case, and he wants to bring the best out of them. You already have the best out of you all the time, so maybe he thought-"

"That I didn't need him…" Cordelia gasped.

Stahl merely shrugged.

"Chrom's got his own problems, too, so who knows? Maybe he's blind to amazing people such as you."

The two of them grew pinkish red on their cheeks.

* * *

 _ **Together**_

It was after Anne, Tharja, and Libra first set sail off to Valm. Sumia had returned from her honeymoon with her newly found husband and now Exalt of Ylisse, Chrom. She would have to adjust to being the nation's Queen, but she was sure that she could do this with the love of her peers.

But then, she crossed paths with Cordelia.

Cordelia simply tried to avoid the confrontation, but Sumia thought otherwise.

"Uh, hey," she smiled awkwardly. "How are you?"

No response.

Another run-in, same response.

"Say, do you want to go on an escort mission for old time's sake?" Sumia suggested.

Silence.

These sorts of encounters continued for a Gods forsaken while, and Sumia was getting tired of it. She planned to corner Cordelia and get her to finally talk. However, this time, Cordelia did not simply stand still and stay silent. Instead, she ran away.

"CORDELIA!" Sumia yelled, chasing after the much faster Cordelia. "We have to talk about this!"

Sumia felt the world freeze itself as her right foot crossed with her left. Slowly her feet lifted themselves in the air, her legs following afterward.

And of course, due to the principles of gravity, Sumia's body compensated by having her head fall right down to the ground. She had tripped over herself once again.

Cordelia, despite how hurt she was, always felt terrible when Sumia fell. So, she stopped dead in her tracks and ran back to help her injured friend.

"Are you okay!?" Cordelia gasped.

At first, it sounded like Sumia was crying in the dirt. But, as she lifted her head up, it turned into a big smile and laughs.

"Even as a Queen, I still can't help but trip!" Sumia chuckled.

Cordelia began smiling and even giggling.

"It can't be your boots this time, that's for sure!"

Sumia stood up, brushed some dirt off of her gown, and held Cordelia's wrist before she decided to make another run for it.

"Can we talk? Please?"

The warm smile on Cordelia's face faded, but she knew Sumia would trip over herself again. She requested to at least be sitting down as they spoke to one another.

They didn't face each other, but instead sat side by side.

* * *

It was…awkward to start the conversation.

"Cordelia, I know you loved Chrom from the bottom of your heart-" Sumia began.

"And that he meant the entire world to me? Why yes, yes he did," Cordelia reiterated. "Even with knowing that, you still took him away from me just like Anne almost did. How could you?!"

"I didn't intentionally make him fall in love with me! It sort of…happened!"

"OH, I'm supposed to _believe_ that?! I've had a crush on him for ages now, and you suddenly decide to marry him out of nowhere! Did you even like him before-"

"I'VE LOVED HIM FOR AS LONG AS YOU HAVE!"

Uttering that phrase alone could shatter glass.

"You…you have?" Cordelia was stupefied. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I didn't want to ruin our friendship like I was afraid of doing back when Chrom proposed," Sumia sighed. "But my feelings have always been there. I quietly admired him while you flaunted yours. And I thought…"

"…Thought what?"

Tears flowed from Sumia's cheeks.

"I thought he was pulling some kind of joke until he told me why he loved me. Before, I felt like I would never be worthy of him."

Cordelia repositioned herself sideways so that she could fully look at Sumia.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean you're always better than me in every way. You're prettier, you're smarter, you're the better Pegasus Knight, and everyone admired you like you were the noble and I wasn't! I was always cast in your shadow, Cordelia…"

"Sumia, again, why haven't you told me about this?"

Now it was time for Sumia to face Cordelia, but her movement was much more sudden.

"Don't you think I've tried?! Every time you were upset and I had my own problems, you said that I didn't matter! Maybe not directly, but you clearly didn't care for me when I needed you most!"

"I didn't…I definitely didn't mean to! I…I got so used to you comforting me that I thought you didn't need my help!"

"What?"

"You always were the happier out of the two of us, and I envy you for that. Life seems to be perfect for you and I thought that you would be able to solve your own problems for yourself."

"That's not true. Everybody goes through problems."

"I know. I can't believe I think your problems are less important than mine. What kind of friend does that?"

"Anyone going through a lot," Sumia sniffled. "Sometimes, you get so caught up in your own bubble of thoughts that others seem to drift away."

"Yeah… I guess you're right. I still feel terrible, though. Almost childish. And making you feel unworthy of someone like Chrom… You're far too forgiving of me."

Some silence came in, both girls contemplating on what to say next.

* * *

"Cordelia?"

"Yes?"

"You probably still have feelings for Chrom, and you might never get over them. I understand, but I still want to be friends with you. We went through too much together just to have our friendship fall apart over this."

"That's true. We both faced our own kinds of discrimination, me with my perfection and you with your clumsiness."

"We're also the only remaining forces of the original Pegasus Knights. Phila would probably make us go through Frederick's recruitment training if we separated."

"Or make us clean the Pegasus dung like during the time when we pranked Sully by replacing her Lance with a Log!"

"And we had to avoid seeing her for a week lest we get her even angrier!"

Once again, the two laughed.

"See what I mean?" Sumia said. "This shouldn't cause a split between us."

"Definitely," Cordelia replied. "It might take a while, but I'll eventually find someone better than Chrom."

"Someone who can help you improve so that you can help improve them. You bring out your strengths while helping out with their weaknesses. But most importantly, someone who can see you for who you are."

"Hopefully not perfect. Everyone has their flaws."

* * *

Sumia and Cordelia stayed a little longer talking over their nostalgia and moments of Chrom being either unintentionally hilarious (such as him eating an orange without taking the peel off) or incredibly chivalrous (he always fought with respect for his opponent…unless they're Gangrel).

"Sumia?" Cordelia spoke up.

"Yeah?"

"When something like this happens again, don't be afraid to talk to me. You can stand up for yourself, you know."

"Oh, I definitely know by now."


	4. Henry and Panne

**Henry and Panne: Lightning Storms**

* * *

What animals lack in human-like intelligence can vary amongst each species. Birds and wyverns are given wings to fly, fish are given gills and fins to live properly underwater, and turtles are given shells to protect themselves from natural predators. Rabbits have ultra-sensitive hearing thanks to their large ears. And as is with each animal, they have a somewhat sixth sense that lets them know when something bad is about to happen.

But what happens when a rabbit-human senses disaster?

* * *

Once everyone had settled down from the loss of Lady Emmeryn, Henry tried his best to get Panne familiar with humans.

"Why should I trust them?" Panne would repeat. "Now that they are peace times, they will find new enemies to threaten and slaughter."

"Yeah, people suck like that," Henry sighed. "But at least Chrom made sure to handle the slave problem Plegia's been having. That oughta count for something! Right, Ted?"

The raven cawed in response.

"I guess you could say he's fighting for the right _caws_!"

Henry cackled at his pun while Panne groaned at the boy's play on words, as it felt more like an assault on words.

"You make no sense to me." The Taguel muttered into her arms.

"You're right! I'm not an apothecary!"

Panne grabbed Henry by his famous purple collar.

"WILL YOU STOP IT WITH THE ANNOYING JOKES?!"

"Aw c'mon, I'm just trying to cheer you up!"

"'Cheer me up'!? My entire clan has been slaughtered by manspawn like you while I was forced into doing their labor, and you think 'cheering me up' will forgive all of this?!"

"Nope! But I know what you've been through."

"I highly doubt that. You have not faced the prejudice of being a beast."

"That's up more on Anne's alley, but I have been called a freak a lot back when I was younger. Mostly by Tharja."

"You do not realize how harsh the word is. You have not lost like I have! We are nothing alike!"

Henry's smile disappeared when Panne mentioned the word "lost". He grabbed Panne's wrists and forced himself out of her grasp.

"I was raised by wolves, you know," Henry began. "My human folks abandoned me when I was a baby, probably because they didn't want to have a blind kid or something. Pretty much everyone in the pack wanted nothing to do with me, since I couldn't really hunt and my nose or ears weren't as strong as they were now. Once my wolf mom died, all I had was my older brother, Arco. But then some human kid killed him and the pack abandoned me."

Panne remained silent for a moment.

"Then why do you still trust the manspawn when they have caused you so much harm?"

Henry smiled once again.

"I met the right kind of people, of course! Sure, Tharja has some gripes with me messing up her spells here and there, but she and her folks let me stay with them and even taught me magic!"

"And the Fellblood?"

"Oh, Anne? She's probably the only one who likes my jokes. She kinda acts like another mom for me, since she won't allow me to do a bunch of killing. It's for a good reason, yeah, but it's hard to shake off those urges, y'know?"

"She also faces an identity crisis."

"Aw yeah, Grima's been tormenting her ever since she was like nine or something. It was kind of like what I went through when I started acting more human. All in all, she's actually pretty nice when you're not scared of her."

"Taguel are not beasts that are easily frightened."

* * *

As Panne uttered that, her ears perked up. Ted ruffled his feathers and Henry tilted his head slightly, cupping his left ear with his hand.

"Ooh boy, I hear a storm coming up," Henry said. "Sounds like a real doozy."

"You can sense it, too?" Panne gasped.

"Well yeah, being blind made me perk up my other senses. Being raised by wolves and having dark magic also helps with that just in case."

"We must find shelter!"

"Panne, we're already in the horse stables. I think we're good."

The first clap of thunder could be heard. Panne stiffened in response.

"Hey, you okay?" Henry asked.

Ted cawed at a rapid pace, causing the poor bird to hide in Henry's cloak.

In the blink of an eye, everything was white. Then, with another blink, the white disappeared. Lightning.

Panne responded by crouching down and holding her hands up to her ears, shaking while she was at it.

"You're scared of storms? Wow, I didn't think-"

Before Henry could finish his observation, Panne bolted up and once again grabbed him by the collar.

"Taguel are not fearful! They are feared!"

Another thunderclap. This time, it seemed to make the stable shake in place. Many of the horses whinnied and clopped their hooves to the ground. Panne let go of Henry's collar and instead grabbed him from his back, embracing him as if he were a sort of human shield.

"You know it's okay to be scared," Henry chuckled as he looked at the frightened rabbit person.

"I am not scared!" Panne groaned, pushing Henry away.

Lightning struck again. Panne reverted to her true rabbit form thanks to her purple Beaststone. Now, rabbit Taguel are actually the size of regular bears, so the horses freaked out even more than they regularly would. It was almost to the point where they would kick down their tiny doors just so they could find someplace quiet. Panne, however, curled herself up with her paws once again covering her ears.

"So that's what you look like…" Henry muttered under his breath.

She was mostly covered in brown, short fur, but her face, the tips of her ears, and her paws were not. Instead, those parts were white. Panne's magenta "armor" expanded to fit her bigger form. She even had golden rings around the midsection of her ears.

Panne braced herself for the thunder, to which it was once again stable shaking.

Henry knelt down beside the gigantic rabbit, putting her head on top of his legs. He then proceeded to stroke the fur on her neck delicately.

Panne squirmed away.

Lightning struck once more. Panne turned back into her semi-human form.

"It's going to strike me, I just know it!" She shrieked.

Henry chuckled, which caused Panne to glare at him.

"You just remind me of Anne, is all. She gets scared over everything. But I'm here if you need someone to calm you down."

This human was weird, Panne knew that for sure. He said he hated humans, yet his best friends and other comrades in arms were humans. He lived such a terrible life, yet he wears a ridiculous smile on his face and cracks jokes any chance he can. He was blind, yet he could "see". How could he function?

Thunder.

This time, Henry pulled out a spell book and drew a circle in the ground. Reciting the incantation, both he and Panne were engulfed in a purple sphere. Everything was silent, and there were no signs of sudden brightness anywhere.

"This is a force field spell. It usually lasts for a couple of minutes, so you can fall asleep or something until it deteriorates. I'll keep you company if you're still scared."

Panne seemed to have no other sane option, so that was exactly what she decided to do. Henry, being the kind of person he was, cuddled with her by wrapping his right arm around her waist and holding one of her hands with his left.

"You're gonna be just fine," Henry said gently.

* * *

 _ **Ending Commentary:**_ Fun fact! I recently went through this experience myself, except Henry was my mom in this case… Hey don't judge me…


	5. Libra

_**Beginning Commentary:**_ Let me know if this is far too controversial, alright?

* * *

 **Libra: The Boy and the Church**

* * *

There once was a boy that everyone hated. When he was born, he gave off a demonic aura so foul that it could be compared to the Fell Dragon. His parents mistook him for the Fell Dragon's vessel, which made his parents fear him. His own father struck the back of his neck out of pure fear. No sooner after that, he could be found on the steps of the local orphanage.

The baby grew to into a beautiful young lad. However, due to his foul aura, not one person wanted to be near him. He was in no means a terrible person, in fact, he was perhaps the kindest orphan his caretaker could ask for.

"Why are people scared of me, Madame?" The boy would ask the caretaker.

"You, my child," the decaying old hag would begin, handing him a bowl of soup. "You make every person around you tense and uneasy."

"But I did nothing wrong!"

"Maybe not, but it's your mere presence that does this."

Why was this the case? Was he truly possessed by a demon?

* * *

The caretaker eventually passed away from old age, leaving the orphanage in disarray and resulting in its foreclosure. While many of the orphans were given new homes and families to live with, the boy was alone.

As he would walk down the streets, many of the boys his age would tease him for his appearance. Yes, he was beautiful, but boys weren't supposed to be that. Boys were meant to be stronger with more rugged, handsome looks. This boy had a much more feminine appeal to him, with smooth, pale blond hair that gently touched his shoulders, stunning blue eyes, and a build more suited for women than men. Even when his voice changed through puberty, it was still quite feminine.

One day, though, he had enough. He was tired of the Grimleal accusations, tired of the gender confusion, all of it. He hated Grima, the mere mention of His name caused a twinge of pain in the back of his neck. How dare he be compared to such a monster! He hated how feminine he looked. No matter what he did, people would still confuse him for a girl.

No longer would he be a part of that society which mocked him so.

But where would he go?

* * *

The air grew colder and colder as he travelled. He had no proper way to keep himself warm, as at this point, his clothes were merely rags. Nobody wanted to hire him as an apprentice since they already had enough people or they could sense his aura, so he couldn't make money. Because of this, he couldn't pay to stay in any inns or eat any foods that weren't scraps.

Soon, it began to snow. Not just snow, hail. Not just hail, it turned into a blizzard. The poor boy was left out in the cold to wither and rot. Soon, he could no longer feel his legs or arms. He collapsed into the bitter snow, wanting to die so that his feelings of loneliness and hate could disappear forever.

But then…he saw something. A building of some sort. Sanctuary, perhaps?

Something in him compelled him to stand, to discover this building and its purpose. Why was it here of all places, he thought.

The building, though not as tall as others that the boy had seen, still towered him in comparison. The one window that could be seen in the front was colorful, depicting a dragon of some sort. Its two brown doors soon opened slowly and quite eerily with a horrendous creaking sound that echoed throughout the building. Inside, there were several brown benches on both the left and right. A green carpet ran right down the middle, soon ending at a couple of stairs. On top of these stairs lay a podium of some sort, and more windows behind it. These windows seemed to tell some of story, as each one depicted a different scene. One had a sword and a shield with six colored orbs in blue flames, while another had a giant and a dragon interacting with one another.

A middle-aged man soon appeared in front of the boy. He had blond hair just like the boy did, but he definitely had more scruffy hair than smooth. He had blue eyes like the boy, but they were more fierce than beautiful. His build was appropriate for skinny men, not feminine in the slightest. He even had a goatee growing on his chin. His robe was as white as the snow, with a few hints of gold here and there.

"Come in, lad," the man would say with a smile. "It's far too cold for you to stay out here on your own."

The boy, shocked at this sudden kindness, hesitated at first. But as the man continued to offer his invitation, the boy grew more and more convinced to accept it. At last, he huddled himself inside.

"Hold for a moment. I shall fetch you something warmer to wear along with something for you to eat. You look practically starved."

As the man went away to find these, the boy continued to look around in this strange building. Chandeliers hung gracefully from above, and unlit candles were held at the ends of each bench. The smell also seemed quite different than what the boy had been used to. It was not that of filth, but of something more wholesome. It made him feel…secure.

The man returned with a blanket, a similar white robe to the man's, and a loaf of bread.

"Sir, do you not fear me?" The boy asked as he changed.

"My boy, why would I fear you?" The man laughed.

"Well, everyone I've been around seems to think of me as some kind of monster. Madame, my old caretaker, told me it was because of my presence, but I don't really understand it. All I know is that it caused people to not want anything to do with me."

"Clearly, they have not accepted Naga into their hearts."

"Naga?"

"Oh yes, the Divine Dragon Herself. She is a loving, wise, and kind goddess that watches over all. However, those who are truly blessed with Her love are the ones that devote their lives to Her. She allows those followers a true sanctuary once we depart from this mortal realm."

The boy bit into the bread, both fascinated and confused by this concept.

"Is She here?" The boy asked.

"Her presence is all around, my boy," the man responded. "This church we stand in is meant to honor and worship Her, and in return, Her presence gathers much more prominently than in, say, a slum."

"Do you think She would love me, even with my 'presence'?"

"If you truly accept Her into your heart, yes. All of that and far more."

The boy's confusion dwindled, but his fascination bloomed.

"Now, where is this caretaker of yours?" The man asked. "She must be worried sick about you."

"She's dead," the boy responded glumly. "I've been on my own now for a while now."

The man stayed silent for a while, allowing the boy a chance to get comfortable in the blanket provided to him.

"You may live here for as long as you need to," the man finally decided. "That is, if you're willing to help keep this church clean and help me spread the word of Naga. We shall baptize you so that this 'presence' of yours will not be a part of you anymore."

The boy wholeheartedly agreed. Finally, someone to care for him! Someone who could make him feel safe and normal! Someone he could love, and could love him in return.


	6. Priam, Henry, and Panne

**Priam, Henry, and Panne: The Laguz**

* * *

It was a peaceful evening on the Garden of Giants. The combined armies of Regna Ferox, Say'ri's rebelling forces, and the Ylissean Shepherds had taken the time necessary to fraternize with the new forces provided by the Radiant Hero Priam. But during that time, an interesting point was discussed.

Panne was a nocturnal creature mostly, despite the scheduling of the Shepherds, so she would spend these late night hours scouting around. It was not until night became day when she noticed Sir Priam rise and train all by himself. How odd, even Sir Frederick would not rise earlier than when the sun was high up in the sky. She decided to glance in the bushes.

"Hey, honey-buns!" Henry shouted behind her.

Both Panne and Priam winced.

"Henry, I told you not to call me that!" Panne groaned. "And to not sneak up on me!"

"I thought you could hear me from a mile away."

It was here that the two were greeted by a very confused Priam. All three of them exchanged a very awkward silence with Panne and Priam exchanging awkward glances at one another.

"Oh, hey Priam!" Henry finally exclaimed.

"Uh, hello," Priam responded. "Would you mind telling me what you two are exactly doing in the bushes?"

"I was making my watch guard rounds when I noticed you were up at this peculiar hour," Panne explained. "Then my mate here decided to startle me."

"Hey, I just wanted to say hi," Henry pouted.

"Mate?" Priam asked.

"Yeah, we're not married, but we've got eight kids back in Ylisse!"

"Eight?! Good Gods!"

Here, the sun rose to the point where light could finally bounce off the surface. Priam finally got a good look of Panne. He gasped as he widened his eyes.

"I don't believe it," he said under his breath.

"Have you not seen one of my kind before?" Panne asked.

"No, I have. You're a Laguz, aren't you?!"

"A Laguz? Naw, you've got the names switched up, buddy. Panne's a Taguel. Say it with me, Tag-uel." Henry tried to specify.

"Taguel? Never heard of those. Laguz, though, I've heard _and_ seen plenty."

"Might I ask what a Laguz is for you, then?" Panne questioned.

"Very well," Priam simply replied. "Laguz are a race of people that can transform into two forms: man, and beast."

"Holy crow! That's exactly what a Taguel is!" Henry gasped.

Panne nudged Henry in the side so that he could stop with his commentary.

"Is that right?" Priam smiled.

"Yes. We Taguel are a proud race that rely on stones in order to switch between our two forms. My warren, myself included, happened to be rabbit beasts," Panne said with subdued pride. However, that soon turned into bitterness. "That is, until only I survived."

Priam's smile turned into a concerned frown.

"I'm…sorry about that," he said. "I won't ask you about what happened if you're not comfortable with it."

"You are quite considerate for a manspawn."

Ah, her use of the word 'manspawn' made it clear: humans had something to do with it.

"So what else do ya know about these guys, huh?" Henry asked.

"Well, there are three kinds of Laguz: the beast kind, similar to rabbits and other animals like lions and wolves, the bird kind, and the dragon kind. I assumed that Lady Tiki and those two other dragon girls were dragon Laguz."

"They are known as Manaketes," Panne stated.

"Is that right? Well, you learn something new every day. …What about the brown haired girl? The one who said she was Grima's vessel?"

"Oh, Anne? Well, it's weird with her. She's got the cold blood and the occasional hands of a dragon, but other than that, she's human," Henry explained.

"How does that work?"

"Years and years of eugenics, bud. At least that's what Anne told me."

"Huh."

* * *

A small silence.

"Any other knowledge you have?" Panne asked.

"Well, the Laguz were once held slave by people known as the Beorc. They had the strength of the Laguz, thanks to special weapons they wielded, but lacked the transformation into beasts. Over time, the Laguz were freed. And long before any of that, the two lived peacefully in a species known as the Zunanma."

"Wow," Henry mumbled. "Say, how do you know so much about this?"

"Back in Tellius, I've seen quite the amount of Laguz. Not sure about rabbit ones, but there were definitely wolves, birds, and lions."

"Oh my!"

"There are…more?" Panne gasped. "I thought that they-we were a dying race!"

"Maybe in Ylisse and Valm, but definitely not in Tellius. Heck, they have their own territories with a Laguz-based government," Priam said.

Panne nearly burst into tears.

"I'm…not alone. The children will not be the only ones, Henry!"

"Yay, more playmates!" Henry cheered.

"When this war is officially over, you must show us the way to Tellius."

Priam rubbed his hand on the back of neck.

"Gods, it's been nearly thirteen years since I left Tellius," he sighed. "And I don't really intend on going back…"

Panne frowned.

"But…my race!"

"I'll ask my second-in-command to draw you up a map, but don't expect me to go with you."

"Did ya do something bad?" Henry asked.

Priam turned away.

"I don't want to talk about it," he put bluntly.

Panne understood, and insisted that she and Henry leave Priam back to what he was originally going to do before the interruption.

"Thank you for informing me," Panne smiled.

"Ah, it's nothing," Priam replied.

* * *

Before they fully left, though, Henry stayed for a little while.

"So, you seem really interested in Anne," Henry snickered.

"Well, it's not every day you meet the apparent vessel for a godlike dragon," Priam said.

"You know what I mean."

Priam stayed silent, but a slight brush crept on his cheeks.

"How do you know?" He sneered.

"I was raised by wolves, and with a sniffer and ears as strong as mine, you can tell."

"That…sounds ridiculous."

"Maybe, but why did your heartbeat increase when I mentioned her?"

Gods, did it?! …IT DID!

With a newly flustered Priam, Henry cackled.

"Oh, I see. Laugh at me because I can't have her," Priam grunted. "Hardy-har-har."

"Well, I'm not saying you shouldn't."

"…Pardon me?"

"Like I said before, Panne and I aren't married, but we've got eight kids! And just because Anne's got Yen'fay's kid on the way doesn't mean they're married."

"They're not?"

"Nope! No official wedding. It's more of a title than anything. But yeah, if you do go for her, expect a lot of overdramatic outbursts. And lots of self-doubting. And her wanting to do the right thing."

"You make it sound as if these were burdens."

"Lots of guys would think they were. Wouldn't you?"

"I'll admit, it'd take a while to get used to it, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't be willing to try."

"In that case, I'll just let you know that me and Tharja, the scary girl with black hair, are gonna be on you and hex you to Hell if you do anything to hurt her."

"Fair enough."

"Aw, you're not making this fun! At least have a worried pause!"

* * *

 ** _Ending Commentary:_** I'm running this ship into the grave


	7. Henry's Story Time: Beauty and the Beast

_**Beginning Commentary:**_ SO, I found this when I was coming up with AU's for my own fanfic (crazy, right?) and finals are soon approaching, so I don't really have that much time to write. To help sate over you all, please enjoy this! (Apparently I wrote this after first watching Phelous' reviews of the knock-off Beauty and the Beast movies).

* * *

 **Henry's Story Time: Beauty and the Beast**

* * *

 _Gather 'round, kiddies! Today, I, Henry, am gonna tell you a story! It's apparently a classic according to my human friends, but I was raised by wolves, so who the heck knows?_

"Wait, something doesn't seem right," said Tharja.

 _Oh hey, Tharja. Whatcha doing here?_

"You're blind. How are you going to be able to read?"

 _Aw shucks. I know the gist of what goes on in the story. Besides, you know I can use my magic to temporarily see and all that!_

"True…But aren't you going to make this story a far more demented version of what it already is?"

 _I'd try to, but Anne made me take an oath that I wouldn't alter the story too much._

"Well, that's good. Carry on, then."

 _Thanks! Anywhere, where was I…? Ah! I was about to start telling the story, of course!_

* * *

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there was a girl named Anne.

"Hello!" Anne introduced herself and curtseyed. She wore a humble peasant dress instead of her usual Plegian robe. "It's nice to meet you all!"

 _Ain't she a charmer? Well, at least compared to her stepsister, Aversa, that is._

"Oh gosh-wait, what?"

Aversa soon pushed Anne aside, nearly making her fall into a mud puddle. She, unlike Anne, wore a much more expensive looking gown that showed off her…assets.

"Oh, Anne! I didn't see you there!" Aversa lied.

"Wait, wait, wait! HENRY!"

 _What?_

"You didn't tell me Aversa was going to be in this story!"

 _Really? In the story, the girl had some nasty siblings._

"That's odd. I thought she was an only child."

 _Well, she's already in the story, so there's no point of writing her out._

"And why would you want to get rid of poor old me?" Aversa wept. "I thought we were family."

Anne sneered in response, but allowed the story to continue.

 _Anyway, Aversa was always getting whatever she wanted, but that's mainly because Anne didn't ask for a lot of material objects like dresses or jewelry._

"They won't fill the void," Anne spoke in a deadpan tone.

 _Yeah, Anne's got some emotional issues…_

"HENRY!"

 _WELL, YOU DO!_

"Still, you don't have to say it so plainly…"

Soon, Validar had entered the picture. It was odd not to see him in his Sorcerer robes, and even more odd to see him without the look of a snake. Instead, his hair had gone down and he no longer wore the menacing eyeliner that he preferred to wear. As for his outfit, it was that of a simple Merchant's.

 _And before you say it, Anne, he's an important factor to this story, too. So he stays._

"Gaaaah," Anne grunted as she crossed her arms and pouted.

"I'm home!" He announced.

"Oh, Father! You've returned!" Aversa gasped.

"Yes, and I've many gifts for you waiting inside the house."

With that, Aversa gave her father a quick hug and bolted for the small cottage they lived in.

Anne simply glared at Validar, muttering something about him being a jerk.

"Ah, and there you are, my lovely Anne," Validar smiled.

"I'm sorry, _lovely?_ " Anne scoffed. "I'm suddenly lovely?"

"You've always been lovely, my dear, but you never ask for anything so that I may prove my love for you."

"Dad, you and I both know that our relationship is far beyond the point of being repaired with gifts."

"Such a shame, as I finally found one that I'm sure you would love."

"What, you got a therapist?"

"Oh, your sense of humor is just…wonderful. No, my dear, it's a surprise."

"A surprise?"

"Yes. In fact, I'll teleport you to it now."

"Wait-"

Before Anne could finish her two-worded sentence, Validar immediately pulled out a spell book and cast magic on the floor, temporarily blinding Anne and transporting her to her _**mysterious~**_ destination.

"Why are you saying it like that?" Tharja asked.

 _To make it sound more sinister and/or whimsical, of course!_

* * *

Anne appeared before a grand, gothic castle with gargoyle statues hanging on the rooftops, no lights appearing from inside, and black iron bars that passed for gates. In fact, the only non-gothic décor available was the lovely rose bushes that grew alongside the castle entrance.

"Oh, wow. Dad…got me my own mansion?" Anne questioned out loud. "That's…nice of him. … _Too_ nice."

 _Always the doubter, Anne. Always the doubter._

"HEY! I'm only being safe here!"

 _Pshaw, do you think I'd actually hurt you?_

"Well…no…"

 _Then let me do my job here!_

"Gah, okay…"

 _Cool beans!_

Anne entered the castle, wondering if it was truly abandoned or not.

"Hello?" Her voice echoed through the halls.

"Oh, hello!" Three voices cried out. In came Ju'mei, a servant of Chon'sin's royal family, in a candlestick get-together, Say'ri, Chon'sin royalty, as a teapot, and some guy in an orange piece of armor as a sundial.

"I think that orange guy is Kellam," said Tharja.

 _Who? OHHH, KELLAM! THAT GUY, RIGHT._

"Are you the young woman the merchant told would be staying here?" Ju'mei asked.

"I…guess so?" Anne responded.

"Great! Your room's upstairs, third doorway on the left," Kellam explained. "The Beast'll want to see you soon, so if you want to freshen up, now's a good time-"

"Wait, BEAST?! A BEAST LIVES HERE?!"

 _Well, yeah. This story's called "Beauty and the Beast". Thought you knew that._

"Psst, I do. I'm acting," Anne whispered, trying to make it seem like she wasn't breaking the illusion. She was failing, but hey, at least she was trying.

 _Ohhhh…_

"Anywhere, where was I? Oh yeah, A BEAST LIVES HERE?!"

"Yes, and we are here to help you get along with the Beast so that the curse put upon us can be broken!" Ju'mei explained. "That way, we can no longer be in costumes!"

"Ju'mei, we are to stay in character," Say'ri whispered.

"Oh, forgive me, Your Majesty!"

Ju'mei bowed before Say'ri, which made Say'ri sigh.

"We are under a curse which has turned our master into a beast and us into household objects, and can only be freed if he loves a woman and she loves him in return. The Beast is a kind, misunderstood soul," Say'ri went on with explaining. "If he appears to be angry, it is only because it has been a while since he has been in contact with an actual human being."

"Yes, because as you can see, we are clearly household objects," Kellam awkwardly chuckled.

"Interesting…" Anne responded.

 _Anne ran outside to attempt to get back home._

"What? No I didn't."

 _But it's this whole thing where you're terrified because you're inside a Beast's castle and you wanna go home!_

"Eh, I actually like it here."

"Truly?" Ju'mei beamed.

"Yeah, you guys treat me nicer than my dad and stepsister did back home. And it's not like I have much to go back to anyway."

 _Huh, well… Okay then. Guess that means there's no chase scene of you running only for the Beast to catch you. Welp._

"Sorry, Henry," Anne laughed awkwardly.

Why Henry left that scene and not the characters of Aversa and Validar out of the story is left up to interpretation.

* * *

 _Anyway, it's dinner tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiime!_

Ju'mei, Say'ri, and Kellam went into the kitchen to make her and the Beast their meals, and though Anne seemed rather calm before about staying in the palace, she was actually really nervous about who this Beast was.

"Knowing my luck, it's probably Grima," Anne muttered to herself.

 _What? You're not worried that this Beast might eat you or something?_

"I dunno, man, if a Beast can live in a castle with household objects for servants, it must have some sort of class."

 _True, and it's not like it lives in the catacombs waiting to be fed by unsuspecting visitors…_

"HEY, I SAID NO HORROR!"

 _Fine, fine! Yeesh…_

Thumps could be heard in a descending order, meaning something gigantic was on its way downstairs. Anne's eyes widened, and she soon gulped.

The table soon began rattling with each footstep. They were getting louder, and louder, and louder, until there seemed to be a loud thump in front of the doorway. The thumps soon were replaced by the turning of the door knob.

Anne squeezed her eyes shut, but did her best to not get in a defensive pose.

"Yo," Priam announced himself in a rather nonchalant manner.

Anne's eyes immediately opened to the sound of the familiar voice. Priam wore cat ears in that messy bush he called hair instead of his bandanna, cat paws for gloves and shoes, and even a bushy cat tail.

"Hey, I'm supposed to be a wolf!" Priam shouted. "Or…a wildebeest?"

 _I don't know either, man. Sorry._

Aside from this animalistic get-up, Priam wore a normal, blue nobleman coat and white pants.

"Priam, what are you doing here?" Anne asked after she sighed with relief.

"I, uh, heard you were helping Henry with one of his stories and…I wanted to help out…" Priam blushed, looking away from Anne as best as he could.

"AW, BABE!"

Anne attempted to run and twirl around in Priam's arms, but to not avail.

 _Sorry to be a mood killer, but you're not at that lovey dovey stage yet._

"Why not?" Priam asked, saddened that he couldn't hold his beloved.

"Well, unfortunately, a majority of the story revolves around us actually falling in love," Anne sighed. "Just remembered that…"

 _Yessiree! You have to love her, and she has to love you in return._

"But we already love each other…" Priam pointed out. "…Right?"

Anne nodded frantically and traced a little heart with her fingers, earning a grin from Priam.

 _Sorry folks, can't alter the story too much!_

Both leads groaned with defeat, "Fine."

 _Don't worry, you two. It'll be worth the wait. ANYWHO!_

* * *

Anne quickly grew accustomed to her new life with Priam and his servants, never once concerned about missing her family back in her hometown.

"Didn't she have friends in that village?" Tharja asked.

 _Doesn't say so. Technically, we're not a part of the story, so we don't count._

"Not to mention that the friends wouldn't really add on to the plot aside from bargaining with Priam and me to have me back," Anne observed.

"Ah, true."

 _Anyway!_

Say'ri would teach Anne the customs of the outside world through different languages and tales that she had learned when she was first lit. Ju'mei would teach her how to take care of herself as they both helped tidy up and cooked non-lethal meals. Kellam…Kellam…

"I taught her how to farm," Kellam said. "I mean, the land's good enough for harvest and all that."

That it was! Not only were crops grown for necessary food, but also beautiful flowers that Ju'mei and Anne would tend to.

"Wait, I thought Priam wasn't really a flower guy," Anne said.

"In many interpretations, the girl asks her father to find her a single red rose," Say'ri began explaining. "He finds it in the Beast's castle, and the Beast tells the father that he may live if he promises to have someone else take his place as prisoner."

 _Really? I thought the Beast's life depended on the rose or something._

"Do you like flowers, Miss Anne?" Ju'mei asked.

"Well, when they're scattered across a field, yeah," Anne responded nonchalantly.

"Then perhaps Mister Priam knew this and is allowing you to grow your own flowers!"

Anne was shocked that Priam cared for her in such a manner.

"Hopefully he's not allergic," Anne said.

 _Hm, not the kind of shock we were expecting._

"Hm? Oh, right. Ahem. OH GOODNESS ME, I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT SUCH A _CRUUUUUUUEL_ BEAST WOULD SHOW TENDER LOVE AND CARING!"

 _Okay, now you're just messing with me._

"Heh, yeah…"

* * *

Eventually, through constant persuasion from his servants, Priam began to socialize more with Anne. Anne was patient with him as he struggled to remember how to properly behave in front of another human being.

"More like she's helping him learn by doing what he does," Tharja said.

Indeed, when Priam found himself eating rather sloppily, Anne would pig out and exchange messy smiles with him. Heck, they even held a belching contest or two.

 _That's not very ladylike, Anne._

"So?" Anne burped.

"That's boring, though," Priam stated.

 _True, it's become a cliché, but ya gotta do something to contribute to the name "Beauty" here._

"She's hot, end of story."

"OH YOU~!" Anne blushed.

* * *

Through an indistinguishable amount of time (long enough where the two can fall in love because nobody seems to give a specific time for this), the two bonded over books that they would read aloud, trusting one another with deep, dark secrets that would be exchanged for positive moral support, and combat training. Priam admired how a woman as attractive as Anne could hold a warrior's spirit within her without being a complete bitch while Anne began to fall for Priam's charm and wit. They would laugh over meals, huddle for warmth by the fireplace after a cold day out, discuss philosophies to one another under starry night skies, and play with each other's hair before dozing off to a good night's rest.

"Doesn't it seem weird to describe what they've done instead of actually letting it happen naturally?" Tharja interrupted.

 _That's either due to time constraints or the author was too lazy to write all of the scenarios in detail._

"But this is a romance story… The main focus should be the romance itself."

 _I'm working on thin strings here, Tharj. Bad enough that Anne and Priam already had a thing for each other before the story started! Give me a break here!_

"You're doing your best, Henry, and I appreciate it!" Anne shouted. "Also, thank you for not adding any unnecessary drama between the two of us!"

 _Oh… About that…_

* * *

The grand doors to the mansion had opened, revealing both Aversa AND Validar!

"WHAT THE HELL ARE THEY DOING HERE?!"

"Oh, thank goodness you're safe!" Aversa cried out, practically choking the air out of Anne as she pressed the shorter woman toward her massive chest. She then looked to Priam, and pushed Anne out of the way. "My, aren't you a handsome fellow."

Priam blankly stared at Aversa, showing no real sign of interest for her.

"I should've known not to exchange you for my own safety, Anne!" Validar explained. "What kind of a selfish father am I?!"

"You're still pretty selfish, you know," Anne pouted. "I'm living a damn good life here and NOW you decide to try and take me back?!"

"I… We had to formulate a strategy-"

"No no no, you just wanted to remove me from any sense of happiness! WELL, SCREW THAT NOISE, I'M STAYING!"

Validar glared.

"Very well, but let's see if this so called 'beloved' of yours will still care for you in your true form."

* * *

With that, he began to cast a spell. Purple flames surrounded both him and Anne, and when Priam tried to intervene, Aversa simply held him back with her own magic. Anne's smooth skin became riddled with black scales, two horns appeared on the sides of her head, four new red eyes appeared above and below her current ones that seemed to be connected with purple lines, demonic white wings appeared on her back, her nails grew to sharp claws, and her mouth grew to a dragon's muzzle, complete with the rows and rows of teeth.

"Come, Aversa. We have no need of a beast who refuses to offer our gratitude."

Aversa smiled wickedly, and released Priam once she was sure Anne would run away trying to hide her form.

"ANNE, WAIT!" Priam's shouts echoed down the empty hallways.

" **DON'T COME NEAR ME!"** Anne huffed. She eventually locked herself within her room and began to cry.

"Goodness, what has happened to Lady Anne?" Say'ri asked.

"Her dick of a father thought turning her into a beast would be good revenge for not going back with him," Priam explained. He harshly banged his fist on the door. "ANNE!"

" **GO AWAY! I'M A MONSTER! I've…I always have been! I was born a monster, and I'll die a monster!"**

"You? A monster?" Kellam gasped. "But how can that be? You've been nothing but pleasant since you've first arrived here!"

"… **Really?"**

"True, you seem outlandish, but never monstrous!" Ju'mei said, trying to cheer her friend up.

Kellam then whispered in her ear.

"Oh, my apologies! Outlandish is too harsh of a word. I meant to say out-going or extraordinary!"

"Anne, do you really think I would be shallow enough to disown you like your father pretty much did?" Priam spoke with a lump in his throat, but he still did his best to sound stable. "Even after all that time we've spent getting to know each other?"

 **"…"**

"I don't care what the hell you look like, and you're sure as hell not the kind of person that only cares about that! When I said you were hot way back when, I didn't mean it to be only on the surface with appearances. You're hot because you're also an adorable badass that didn't turn a blind eye from me and instead showed me the kindness of your heart! You made me want to be a better person!"

A clicking sound could be heard, and with a short pause, the door slightly opened.

 **"…You mean it?"**

"Of course I do. I love you!"

Anne gasped, doing her best to wipe away her tears of what was now happiness to replace the tears of sorrow. She immediately pulled herself toward him as she wrapped her arms around his torso.

" **I love you, too. You're always so patient and understanding with me, even when I let my overthinking get in the way too much. I love how easily I can talk to you about anything, I love that you never look down on me when I'm struggling with something like training, I love how you make me feel appreciated and I just…love you."**

Not even for an instant did Priam look hesitant about his decision; he was in love, no doubt about that. And so, the two exchanged a heartfelt kiss (or at least attempted with the way Anne's mouth had transformed and all).

* * *

"Okay, quick question," Tharja once again interrupted.

 _WHAT NOW?_

"Are they going to stay in these forms or will 'true love's kiss' break the spell and turn them back human?"

 _Er, why do you ask?_

"Seems pretty shallow to me for the latter to happen. If they both end up beautiful in the end, then what's the point of them being beasts to begin with?"

 _Well, the morale of the story IS to not judge a book by its cover. But wait, aren't you judging them by thinking being beautiful's a bad thing?_

"No, I'm saying that the story builds up to them being in love regardless of their looks and to have them both end up good looking at the end seems like a cheap cop-out."

 _Oh… Wait a second, all Priam has to do is remove the accessories and he's human again._

" **Can we at least make it so I have a human mouth to properly kiss Priam and two eyes so I can see normally? I can handle with the rest."**

"…Okay, that works."

" **HOORAY! …Oh, what do you think, Priam?"**

Priam gave a mischievous grin and pulled Anne closer to him once more.

"Well, we could get a little… _creative_ with our new forms here," he chuckled lightly. He lowered his hand to her backside and gave it a squeeze, to which Anne caught on to what he was thinking immediately and gave him the same pair of bedroom eyes.

 _Oh Gods, we should probably end this here before we have to bump up the ratings._

"But what about us being furniture still?!" Say'ri exclaimed.

 _Fine, fine. You can be human again, whatever. SO YEAH, they all lived happily ever after and junk! Thanks for reading, and now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to think of what other stories I can tell._

" **Oh, how about the tale of** _ **Aladdin**_ **but with Gaius?" Anne suggested before ducking back into her and Priam's shared quarters.**

 _Maybe, who knows?_


End file.
